Questions of process in participant-generated visual methodologies

Abstract There is an increasing literature on visual methodologies in which images are generated by participants as part of the research, as distinct from the analysis of existing images or images taken by the researcher. Although there are growing numbers of publications that present frameworks for analysing images and their meaning, this is an area requiring further deliberation and consolidation. Our contribution is to give serious attention to the processes of image production in participant-generated visual methodologies. We examine methodological and ethical considerations that arise before, during and after image production. Our work is in health research and we focus specifically on two methods: first, a combination of photovoice and photo-elicitation, in particular with young people; and second, drawings as research method. Based on examples using these two methods, we pose questions of process for image production and submit this for interrogation for reasons of methodological, analytical and ethical rigour. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Optimising Pathways: Self-management and Health Care Transitions for Young People with a Chronic Condition was conducted in conjunction with Professor Susan Sawyer, Director of the Centre for Adolescent Health, The Royal Children's Hospital, and Chair in Adolescent Health, University of Melbourne. Funding support is gratefully acknowledged from the Windermere Foundation, the Invergowrie Foundation, the National Government (Asthma Targeted Intervention Grant), Kodak Australia Pty Ltd, FujiFilm Australia Pty Ltd, and the Murdoch Children's Research Institute. The project website can be found at: http://www.rch.org.au/cah/research. Keeping Connected: Young People, Identity and Schooling was funded by the Australian Research Council in conjunction with the Education Institute of the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, for the period 2006–2009. Chief-investigators were Professor Lyn Yates, Dr Trevor Hay, Dr Peter Ferguson, Dr Pam St Leger and Dr Julianne Moss all of the Graduate School of Education, The University of Melbourne; Dr Julie White of the Faculty of Education, La Trobe University; Dr Sarah Drew of the Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne and the Centre for Adolescent Health; Professor Lyndal Bond of the Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, Medical Research Council, Scotland; Associate Professor Mary Dixon of the Faculty of Arts and Education, Deakin University. The project website can be found at: http://www.edfac.unimelb.edu.au/keepingconnected/index.html. We are also grateful to Carolyn Westall for granting us permission to use the drawings of postnatal depression collected during her doctoral candidature. We wish to acknowledge the useful suggestions and comments of the two anonymous reviewers, which we trust have strengthened this paper.